Signaling device.



W; J. NEWTON. SIGNALING DEVICE.

APELICATION FILED JAN- 12, @915.-

y ten'tedse y. 26, 1916.

WILI-IELMINA J. NEWTON, O-F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR, OF ONE-HALF T0 ETHEL L. ALLEN, 0]? KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILHELMINA J. NEW- TON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Seattle, in the county of King andState of WVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Devices, ofwhich the following is a .full, true, and exact specification.

My invention relates to signaling devices of that class which is adaptable to be attached-to the person of the-operator, and has .for its principal object; to provide a movable means which isattachable to the operator for .displaying illuminated signals ,and the manipulation of which involves but one and the same mechanical operation, such as closing an electrical circuit which is held in the hand of the operator, regardless whether it is desired to display one or more signal lights. 1 i

A further object isto provide a device of the above described general character which is attachable to the hand of the operator and whichwill illuminate the digits of the hand in such a way as to render said digits visible at a distance in a darkened room. he further explained that the simplest, commonest and most convenient means of signaling numbers from 1 to 5, from one person to another at comparatively short distances in the light, is by holding up the hand with the desired number of digits extended and displayed. This means of signaling is in universal use and requires the minimum of time, thought and labor of the operator. Furthermore, the signaling means are al ways .at hand ready for use and requires no searching for the signaling means as is common with enunciators, whistles, bells and the like. 1 e v A further object of my invention is to utilize the hand as asignaling means for use in the dark inprecisely the same way as it is so commonly used in the light and the operation of which-requires a minimum of.

thought, time and labor.

Other objects will appear as my invention is more fully explained in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general plan of my device shown attached to a human hand. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of a finger ring light socket. Fig; 3 isa-n en Specification of Letters Patent.

.It will Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed January 12, 1915. Serial No. 1,746.

larged fragmentary view of a battery and switch mechanism with parts broken away.

Fig. 1 isanenlarged end elevation of the battery. I

Referring more particularly to the drawings, numeral 1 designates .a hand in the palm of which is held a battery or storage source of electrical energy 2 which is of a peculiar shape to best fit the palm of said hand in such a way as to least interfere with the use of the hand and be most convenient of operation. The battery 2 is held to the hand by a strap 3 which is secured to said battery. The battery is providedwith an outer casing T which fits it snugly and which is. equipped with a switch consisting of a push button 5, terminal post 6, contact memher '7, casing S and spring 9. The push button is normally held by spring 9 in such a way as to prevent contact between contact point 7 and the usual battery .ole 10, but contact may be made and the circuit closed by pushing the push button inwardly until the contact member 7 and pole 1O touch. The battery 3 is provided with the usual pole 11 to which one of the circuit wires 12 is attached. The other circuit wire 13 is secured to terminal post (3. Lead wires 1st and 15 extend from circuit wires 12 and 13 respectively to connections on socket 16 on finger rings 17, thus completing circuits from each of the sockets 16 to the battery 2. Sockets 16 are adapted to hold a small incandescent light bulb 18 in the usual manner. The rings 17 may be secured to the fingers in any convenient manner or may be frictionally held in place.

Th operation of my device is'as follows:

The device being secured to the hand of the operator as shown in Fig. 1 and it being desired-to display one or more signal lights within the range of the device. The hand is normally closed when signaling except for the desired number of fingers which are extended to display the lights. The thumb now closes the battery switch by pressure on push button 5, as previously explained, which closes the circuit to all lights 18, but

only those lights which are on the extended- I fingers are visible'as the others are obscured 'tion necessary is to close-the switch and can thus close the lighting circuits to the lamps. The only other operation necessaryis the usual one of raising the desired number 01 fingers and thus display the desired number of signal lights.

My invention is particularly adaptable for use in theaters and the like, where it is necessary for the usher signal an attendant in the rear of the house to how many vacant seats in a row he has found, etc. Many similar uses will develop where night signaling is desirable.

. The push button 5 need not be operated scribed, but may be operated automatically whenever the lingers are upraised shown in Fig. 1, or at least when the index finger is upraised, and of course, that linger will also be operated whenever a display of any oi. the signals is made, and this automatic operation of the push button accomplished, in this instance, by means ol a. tlexible connection 18, one end oi which is secured to the ring 17, on the index linger and its opposite end is secured to an eye 1? rigid with the push button, the flexible n'iel'nber l8 shdably passing through a similar eye 13" in the casing 8.

l l hile I have shown and described a particular form o't embodimentol? my inven tion, I am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled inthe art, and l therefore desire to *oid' being; limited to th exact form shown and described. except as pointed out in the appended claims.

with the body of the operator 5 t com.

con'ibination in an ani'iunciator portablewith the'body ot the operator. and comprising a plurality of small electric lamps, means for remomibly attaching lamps to the ball oi each finger, a battery and means for rcmovab'ly ttaching the same to the palm of the hand, wires which connect the batte y to each of the lamps, and a push button upon the baxtery which is in the path of the natural inward movement of the thumb, whereby the lamps may be caused to glow and whereby the operator may close one or more lingers to conceal the lamps thereon and only a predetermined lamp or group ol. lamps will be exposed.

in a device of the class described, the combination in an annunciator portable with the body of the operator aud comprising a plurality of small electric lamps, a ring; 'lor attaching one oi? the lamps to the ball (it each linger, a. battery which his the palm of the hand, and a strap for removably attaching the battery to the hand, wires which connect the battery to each of the lamps, a switch and a flexible connection between the same and one of the lamps whereby the upraising of the fingers to which such connections exists will cause all the lamps to glow and by selective extension of the lingers on which said lamps are located expose a. prcdetermined lamp or lamps to view.

YVILHELEHNA J. NPHV'IUN l'Vitnesses R. D. SMALLEY, lVIN IFR'I'JI) Knorrr.

one of the 

